"The old porter, who never leaves his door, believing himself the guardian of a citadel; his daughter Marie, whom monseigneur saw just now, and who is the only woman I found at the chateau." "Is she capable of waiting on Blanche?" "Oh, yes, monseigneur, she's rather stupid, rather awkward, but very faithful and obedient. Her father answered to me for that; besides, Mademoiselle Blanche seemed to prefer to do without a chambermaid." "Well, go on." "The gardener, an old idiot, who knows nothing except plants. As to the country people whom we employ, they never come inside the house. Oh, I forgot, an old cook and cellarman, very drunken, so far as I can see, but he is never permitted to leave his kitchen and, in the absence of his masters, shuts himself up in the cellars." "That is well, but it is necessary to have some people here who can watch Blanche or else she will doubtless find some way to escape, if, in time, she should form such a plan, and I brought from Paris two lackeys who will acquit themselves perfectly in this employment. Ah, Germain, if I can only make Blanche love me, how happy I shall be; but I am anxious to have news of her, go down and call Marie, I cannot remain in this anxiety." Germain went down, but soon returned with the young peasant, who had already left Blanche. "Well, how is she?" "That young lady, monseigneur?" "Certainly." "Oh, she returned to her senses some time ago, monseigneur." "And what did she say then?" "On my word, monseigneur, lots of things that I couldn't understand--Oh, wait, I remember, she asked me if you were master of the chateau, and as soon as I said 'Yes,' she began to cry." "She wept?" "Oh, yes, monseigneur, she did nothing else, and then she asked me your name." "What did you answer?" "Mercy, I said that you were called monseigneur le marquis." "She asked you no other questions?" "No, monseigneur." "And why did you leave her?" "Monseigneur, it was because she told me she would like me to leave her." The marquis signed to them to leave him. He did not wish anyone to witness the emotion which he felt. It gave him satisfaction to know that Blanche was within his walls, but the sorrow which she showed disturbed his content. He dared not go back to her yet, deeming it wiser to allow her time to recover from the first pangs of her grief. He threw himself upon his bed, but he could not sleep. The image of Blanche was incessantly before his eyes, and with her came the remembrance of the many errors of his youth which he wished in vain to drive from his mind.